Your search
Results 97 resources
-
This CDI Practice Paper by Pauline Oosterhoff, Sowmyaa Bharadwaj, Danny Burns, Aruna Mohan Raj, Rituu B. Nanda and Pradeep Narayanan reflects on the use of participatory statistics to assess the impact of interventions to eradicate slavery and bonded labour. It deals with: (1) the challenges of estimating changes in the magnitude of various forms of slavery; (2) the potential of combining participatory approaches with statistical principles to generate robust data for assessing impact of...
-
While evaluation is seen as a mechanism for both accountability and learning, it is not self-evident that the evaluation of niche experiments focuses on both accountability and learning at the same time. Tensions exist between the accountability-oriented needs of funders and the learning needs of managers of niche experiments. This article explores the differences in needs and expectations of funders and managers in terms of upwards, downwards and internal accountability. The article shows...
-
This article provides an overview of the use of foresight-type approaches and techniques in policy-related work in international development. It draws primarily on published and grey literatures, as well as select interviews with foresight practitioners. It begins with a brief introduction to the approaches and tools used in the field of strategic foresight, and then a broad mapping of the foresight landscape as relevant to international development. It provides reflections on the evidence...
-
This article sets out the components of the foresight approach that has been adopted by many governments in the developed world, and identifies elements of this 'dominant' approach that may hinder its uptake in developing countries. Instead, it suggests that a less rigid, more exploratory and normative approach may be better suited to many developing country contexts. With reference to the writings and practice of the creator of 'la prospective', Gaston Berger, it argues for an attitude that...
-
Summary There is growing recognition within the international development sector that there is a need for a new, more effective approach to engaging in public sector reform. This article builds on an emerging body of work that advocates more entrepreneurial and adaptive public sector reform programming. Drawing on knowledge and theory from public sector management, psychology and entrepreneurialism, this article aims to understand what motivates public sector workers to work...
-
Although theories of change are frequently discussed in the evaluation literature and there is general agreement on what a theory of change is conceptually, there is actually little agreement beyond the big picture of just what a theory of change comprises, what it shows, how it can be represented, and how it can be used. This article outlines models for theories of change and their development that have proven quite useful for both straightforward and more complex interventions. The models...
-
Theory of Change (ToC) is an emerging methodology in the practice of development programmes, often contrasted with the dominant logical framework. This article reviews current debates around ToC before identifying five aspects that are appreciated in practice. It appears that these aspects mostly cover areas where the logical framework is not – or is no longer – meeting the needs of practitioners. Subsequently, the article analyses experiences in ToC training for NGO staff and concludes that...
-
In this paper, we focus on participatory evaluation in the context of international development and specifically on the emerging empirical knowledge base. In a prior review and critique of research on participatory evaluation (Cousins and Chouinard 2012), we examined 121 studies, with only 21 (17 %) situated in development contexts. However, the circumstances and challenges for international development and for development evaluation are distinct from those found in developed countries and...
-
Despite a swathe of critiques of logframes and other blueprint approaches to development over the last 30 years, most aid infrastructure continues to concentrate on the design and subsequent implementation of closed models. This article does not propose an alternative to blueprints, but challenges the inflexibility of their implementation, which is inadequate given the complex nature of social change. It proposes a supplementary management and learning approach which enables implementers to...
-
Evaluation literature has paid relatively little attention to the specific needs of evaluating large, complex industrial and infrastructure projects, often called ‘megaprojects’. The abundant megaproject governance literature, in turn, has largely focused on the so-called ‘megaproject pathologies’, i.e. the chronic budget overruns, and failure of such projects to keep to timetables and deliver the expected social and economic benefits. This article draws on these two strands of literature,...
-
A quarter century ago, in 1987, Charles C. Ragin published The Comparative Method, introducing a new method to the social sciences called Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). QCA is a comparative case-oriented research approach and collection of techniques based on set theory and Boolean algebra, which aims to combine some of the strengths of qualitative and quantitative research methods. Since its launch in 1987, QCA has been applied extensively in the social sciences. This review essay...
-
This article explores the characteristics of systemic action research. It looks at the conceptual underpinnings of systemic action research and explores some of the ways in which it differs from (builds on) other forms of action research. It then explores some of the issues and dilemmas faced by systemic action researchers.
-
With roots in approaches to popular education and participatory action research that place the learner and the ‘beneficiary’ of development at the centre of enquiry and action, the participatory visualisation methods associated with Participatory Rural Appraisal have been widely used as tools for learning and accountability. In this article, I reflect on lessons learnt from using these methods in a participatory process evaluation of an educational programme aimed at addressing chronic...
-
Health systems around the world are implementing integrated care strategies to improve quality, reduce or maintain costs, and improve the patient experience. Yet few practical tools exist to aid leaders and managers in building the prerequisites to integrated care, namely a shared vision, clear roles and responsibilities, and a common understanding of how the vision will be realized. Outcome mapping may facilitate stakeholder alignment on the vision, roles, and processes of integrated care...
-
Over the past 10 years or so the “Field” of “Mixed Methods Research” (MMR) has increasingly been exerting itself as something separate, novel, and significant, with some advocates claiming paradigmatic status. Triangulation is an important component of mixed methods designs. Triangulation has its origins in attempts to validate research findings by generating and comparing different sorts of data, and different respondents’ perspectives, on the topic under investigation. Respondent...
-
This article explores Participatory Systemic Inquiry processes through two examples of practise. The first is about embedding public engagement in UK higher education, the second is about water infrastructure development and local capacity development in small towns situated around Lake Victoria. These examples illustrate why it is necessary to understand the wider systemic dynamics within which issues are situated, and how this helps to identify workable and sustainable solutions to...
-
Background Improving the design and implementation of evidence-based practice depends on successful behaviour change interventions. This requires an appropriate method for characterising interventions and linking them to an analysis of the targeted behaviour. There exists a plethora of frameworks of behaviour change interventions, but it is not clear how well they serve this purpose. This paper evaluates these frameworks, and develops and evaluates a new framework aimed at overcoming their...
-
The concept of resilience has been used among a diversity of fields with a myriad of definitions. A systems approach to discovering the essence of resilience could aid in understanding its concept and provide opportunities to distinguish its systemic characteristics that can be identified, planned, or analyzed regardless of the field in which it is considered. In order to begin executing such an approach, a comprehensive study of the literature on the topic and circumstances in which...
-
In my brief experience with monitoring and evaluation, I have become convinced that it is critically important both as an international development project component and as a field of academic study. Throughout my academic career at Cornell University, I have, at times, argued that monitoring and evaluation has actually impeded development efforts, but here I wish to amend my opinion. Bad monitoring and evaluation can sabotage development projects and our meaningful interpretation of...
Explore
Theme
-
MEL4 Adaptive Management
- Action Inquiry/Collective Leadership (2)
- After Action Reviews (1)
- Appreciative Inquiry (1)
- Artificial Intelligence (3)
- Case Study (2)
- Causal Mechanisms (11)
- Contribution Analysis (2)
- Cost-Benefit Analysis (1)
- Critical Friends (1)
- Developmental Evaluation (2)
- Empowerment Evaluation (1)
- Ethnography / Rapid Ethnography (1)
- Evaluating Multi-project programmes (1)
- Ex-post Evaluation (1)
- Feedback Systems (1)
- Impact evaluation (3)
- Indicator-based approaches (1)
- Knowledge Management (3)
- Logical Framework (8)
- Mapping Visualization Methods (4)
- MEL in International Development (9)
- Most Significant Change (1)
- Network Analysis (1)
- Outcome Harvesting (1)
- Outcome Mapping (2)
- Participatory Action Research (6)
- Participatory Evaluation (10)
- Participatory Learning and Action - PLA (1)
- Participatory Rural Appraisal - PRA, RRA (3)
- Policy Scientific Approach (1)
- Portfolio Management (2)
- Positive Deviance (1)
- Power Analysis (1)
- Process Tracing (5)
- Public Management Theory (1)
- Qualitative Comparative Analysis (2)
- Randomized Controlled Trials (3)
- Realist Evaluation (6)
- Rigour (2)
- Rubrics (1)
- Scenario Planning (2)
- Systems Mapping (1)
- Theory-based evaluations (4)
- TOC (Theory of Change) (15)
- Trans-disciplinary Research (1)
- Utilisation focused evaluation (1)
- Value for Money (1)
-
Adaptive Approaches [+]
(24)
- Adaptive Learning (6)
- Adaptive Management (8)
- Agile & Lean approaches (2)
- MSD - Market Systems Development (1)
- Other Adaptive approaches (1)
-
Other sectors
(1)
- Sport (1)
- Participation (2)
- PDIA (Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation) (1)
- PEA (Political Economy Analysis) (1)
- Systems Thinking / Complexity (8)
- TWP (Thinking & Working Politically) (2)
- Cases (10)
-
Development Actors Perspectives
(3)
- China (1)
- FCDO/DFID (UK) (1)
- USAID (1)
- World Bank (1)
-
Geography
(7)
-
Africa
(3)
- Eastern Africa (2)
-
Southern Africa
(1)
- South Africa (1)
-
Asia
(4)
-
Eastern Asia
(1)
- China (1)
-
South-eastern Asia
(1)
- Cambodia (1)
-
Southern Asia
(2)
- Bangladesh (2)
- Nepal (1)
-
Eastern Asia
(1)
-
Oceania
(1)
-
Melanesia
(1)
- Papua New Guinea (1)
-
Melanesia
(1)
-
Africa
(3)
-
Practical
(7)
- Tools (2)
-
Sectors [+]
(17)
- Agriculture (1)
- Alternative Development (3)
- Children (1)
- Citizen Engagement (1)
- Economic development (1)
- Governance and Accountability (1)
- Health (2)
- Knowledge to Practice (2)
- Research for Development (R4D) (4)
- Rural development (1)
Resource type
Publication year
-
Between 1900 and 1999
(5)
-
Between 1960 and 1969
(1)
- 1965 (1)
-
Between 1980 and 1989
(1)
- 1989 (1)
- Between 1990 and 1999 (3)
-
Between 1960 and 1969
(1)
- Between 2000 and 2024 (92)